From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
The generator position, double ignition system, and exhaust heated throttle.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 81\2\ scan0168 | |
| Date | 7th October 1924 | |
| OyE-E-10724 -2- October 7, 1924. (2) Generator Position. (See prints marked 2). This is virtually the same scheme as now adopted in England. The generator however, (being concentric instead of eccentric like the Lucas) can only be 5" diameter. It is a Westinghouse machine with regulator similar to the present standard 5-1/2" machines, and gives a charge of 8 amps to full battery and 15 to run-down battery. Beyond resetting the regulator at the start of the run to get the correct charge (which took 10 minutes) the set has operated without defect and battery has been always fully charged. Periodically car has been run on starter for 1/4 mile or so to run battery down and test charging rate. Generator cuts in at 9 m.p.h. and balances the lamp load at 14 m.p.h. Generator drive is quite silent and there is no noise from timing gears. Generator is grounded through its mounting brackets. (3) Double Ignition. (See print #3.) This has required no attention. It has been lubricated 3 times in 10,000 miles. The drive gears are 16 pitch, 28 teeth, made of phosphor bronze. We have not been able to hear any noise from them. Contact points have not been touched and do not now require resetting. The heads are standard American Bosch ignition heads, counterclockwise rotation. They are mounted in flanged bushes, removable separately from the gear casing for convenience in service or replacement if necessary. Provision is made by means of a standpipe inside the central driving gear to hold a depth of oil in the casing sufficient to properly lubricate the gears. The small holes in the central gear are to prevent this standpipe from siphoning. There was ample oil in the casing after 10,000 miles (4000 since last oiling) to lubricate the gears and these were coated in oil. The teeth were slightly roughened on the driving side, however, and we therefore propose to make the central gear of nickel steel at 255 - 277 Brinell like the gears in the starter epicyclice, to mesh with the two bronze gears at either side. (4) Exhaust heated throttle. (See prints marked 4). This is the Derby exhaust heated throttle. To heat it a 3/4" pipe is taken from the centre of the exhaust manifold to the throttle and a waste pipe of the same diameter is taken out pointing to the rear under the right hand engine foot. England's new type of spherical nipples were used on this pipe and on the connections to the boilers and were found definitely better than anything previously tried. The outlet of the waste | ||